Apparatus for treating wire



Feb. l5, 1966 Filed July 6, 1961 P. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR TREATING WIRE FIGI N LO

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 n. o L

INVENToR. PH|L|P MARTIN BY Lu/,M

ATTORNEYS Feb. 15, 1966 P. MARTIN 3,235,241

APPARATUS FOR TREATING WIRE Filed July 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A HG. 2

VPO l l 5- o@ e N w \O INVENTOR.

wo PHlLlP MARTIN 2 BY il f1 A TTORNE YS P. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR TREATING WIRE Feb. l5, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6. 1961 FIG, 7

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A TTORNE YS UnitedStates Patent() 3,235,241 APPARATUS FOR TREATING WIRE rIhllip `Martin, North Hollywood, Calif., assigner t United Engineering Manufacturing Co., Covina, Calif., a corporation of California Filed .Iuly 6, 1961, Ser. No. 122,296 1 Claim. (Cl. 266-25) This invention relates to apparatus for treating wire, and more particularly to apparatus for forming wire bristles which may be used in street cleaning brushes and the like.

l'Street cleaning brushes which employ Wire bristles are wellfknown. For example, it is common to employ a vehicle-mounted rotary brushwhich comprises a circular backing plate'from which many stiff wire bristles depend. Invthe use-of the brush, the bristles are subjected to considerable working stress, and the resultant'bristle wear -isa well recognized probem. After a` period of brush use it is necessary to replace the bristles or to replace the brush as a Whole. Various attempts have been made to prolong bristle life, but in general, the added expense involved in the production of bristles in accordance with such prior proposals has not significantly alleviated the problem from an economic standpoint.

The *present invention is directed to the production of improved -wire bristles *more eiciently and economically than has heretofore been possible. While it is a` principal object of the invention to provide a machine for the production of such bristles, the invention Ahas broader applicability.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatusfor continuously producing flattened, hardened, coated wire `bristles andthe like.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved wirerflattening apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved heat `treating apparatus for wire.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for manipulating wire before, during, and fafter cutting.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus lofthe foregoing type which permits continuous feeding of wire for llattening and heat treating, with intermittent cutting of the wire into predetermined lengths and4 removal ofthe cut wire.

'Briefly stated, and without limitation, the wire treating machine of 'the present `invention includes a plurality of pairs of wire tlattening rollers having a common `drive means, a plurality of `electrodes for heating the wire, a coating roller for applying oil to the heated Wire, straightening rollers, and wirecutting and associated elements for severing the `wire'into predetermined lengths as the succeeding wire is continuously advanced through the llattening, heating, coating, and straighening means of theinvention.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and teatures ofthe invention, and the manner in which the same are'accomplished will Vbecome more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the laccompanying drawings, `whichillustrate `preferred and exemplary embodiments and wherein:

`FIGURE 1 is aside elevation view of flattening, heat treating, and straighening apparatus in acordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a reverse sideelevation view of the apparatusof FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end View of the left extremity in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIGURE l;

3,235,24 lj Patented Feb. l5, i936 FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of another portion of the apparatus of the invention;

7 FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE and FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating wire before and after treatment in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, reference numeral lil designates a machine frame which supports the apparatus of the invention. This `apparatus may be divided generally into rolling and flattening apparatus 12, heat treating apparatus I4, straightening apparatus 16, and cutting apparatus IS (FIGS. 7 and 8). The path of the wire through the machine of the inventionis designated by the dash-dot line w. The raw wire is preferably round high carbon steel wire which may have an initial diameter of from about .0475 inch to about .0915 inch, for example. Such wire is desgnated in FIGURE 9 as w1, the finished bristle W2 being from about .020 to about .040 inch thick and from about .080 to about .i inch Wide, and being produced in a manner to be described.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, the wire rolling and flattening apparatus comprises pairs of horizontal rollers 20, there being an upper roller and a lower rol-ler in each pair, between which the Wire passes. In the form shown there are tive pairs of rollers spaced along the length of the frame lil. As shown in FIG. 4, each roller may have a supporting shaft 22 mounted on pillow blocksV 24 or the like. The pillow blocks are attached to the frame 10 by means of bolts 26 which extend between pairs of frame membersltla and wb as shown. The bolts have nuts 28 threaded thereon, and the nuts may be adjusted to permit a small range of variation in the spacing between the rollers of each pair.

The drive power for the rollers is obtained from an electric motor 30 mounted on the frame as shown in FIG- URES l and 2. The motor has a drive pulley 32 which turns a larger driven pulley 34 by means of a belt 36. A suitable chain drive could be employed instead of the belt drive. `Pulley 34 is rotatably mounted on the frame 10 and turns the shaft 22 of an adjacent lower roller 20 as shown inFIGURE 6. Pulley 34 also drives a small sprocket wheel 38, which in turn drives a Chain 4t). As shown in FIGURE 1, chain 40 drives a larger sprocket Wheel 42 tixed to the shaft of the next lowei roller, which also carries a smaller sprocket yWheel 44 as indicated in FIGURE 4. Sprocket wheel 44 drives another chain 40, which drives another small sprocket wheel 42 fixed to the shaft of `the next lower roller. Each lower roller thus has a sprocket wheel driven from a chain which is driven by a smaller sprocket wheel on the next lower roller, except the rst-mentioned lower roller which is driven lfrom the main sprocket wheel 34. The upper rollers are driven by contact with the wire, which engages the upper and lower rollers and is advanced thereby as it is liattened. By virtue of the common drive train forV the iiattening rollers and by virtue of the gradation in sprocket size, the rollers in sequence from left to right inFIGURE l are driven at progressively higher speeds. The rollers of each pair are set progressively closer together in the sequence from left to'right in FIGURE l, so that the round wire which enters the machine at the left in FIGURE 1 (from a suitable wire supply, such as a large supply roll) becomes progressively flattened in passing through the pairs of rollers in sequence. The progressive increase of roller speed accommodates the elongation of the wire due to flattening and maintains the desired tension in the wire. The

size of the various sprockets in the roller drive train is chosen to obtain the desired speed of each of the rollers.

To equalize the wear along the length of the first pair of rollers, a traverse or shuttle mechanism 46 may be provided, As shown in FIGURE 3, this mec-hanism may comprise a shuttle bar 48 attached to an eccentric or cam 50 at one end and supported in a guide 52 at the other end. The bar has an opening 54 through which the wire passes, and the eccentric or cam may be driven from a transfer case 56 motivated by a pulley or sprocket wheel 53 driven (as shown in FIG. l) by a belt or chain 60 from another pulley or sprocket wheel fixed to the shaft of the adjacent lower roller. The repetitive movement of the shuttle bar 48 along the length of the rollers causes concurrent adjustment of the wire position along the length of the rollers and tends to equalize roller wear.

Suitable wire guides 61 may be spaced along the path of the wire, being mounted on the bolts 26 as shown in FIGURE 4. The rollers 20 are kept cool by spraying them with a mixture of water and water-soluble oil shown at 41 in FIGURE 4. The mixture may be placed in a reservoir above the rollers and sprayed by means of nozzles 43, being collected in a reservoir below the rollers for recirculation by means of a pump (not shown).

After the wire is rolled and flattened, it passes through the heat treating apparatus 14. In the preferred form of the invention, this apparatus comprises a plurality of electrodes 62, 64, and 66. As shown in FIGURE 5, each electrode may comprise a metal plate 68 mounted on an insulating support 70 suspended by bolts 72 from the frame of the machine. Three electrodes are utilized in the preferred embodiment, the wire passing over the rst electrode plate (which is mounted over its insulating support) and under the second and third electrode plates as shown in FIGURE 1. The electrodes are energized from an electrical supply which may include a transformer 74. The electrodes are prefera-bly connected to the electrical supply so that two of the electrodes, say electrodes 62 and 66, are of one polarity, and one of the electrodes, say electrode 64, is of the opposite polarity. Because of the inherent resistance of the wire, the current, which passes through the wire between the electrodes of opposite polarity, heats the wire. The transformer 74 may be a welding transformer, for example, which may be energized from the standard llO-volt A.C. supply lines to produce a low voltage high current output. For example, the open circuit output voltage may be from 2 to 5 volts, and the output current through the wire may be from to 400 amperes. The temperature to which the wire is heated is a function of the current and the speed at which the wire travels, a temperature range of from about 600 F. to about 1200 F. being suitable. After the wire is heated, it passes against a coating roller 76 which dips into oil in a reservoir 78 as shown in FIGURE 5.

The cold rolling of the wire by the rollers greatly increases the hardness of the wire. The internal stresses created during rolling are relieved and the wire is tempered by the heating of the wire and the contact with the film of oil on the roller 76, the oil serving to quench the wire. The resultant wire is very tough, has a somewhat harder casing and a softer core, and has a black surface coating which resists corrosion. Wire produced in this manner has given excellent service in street sweeping brushes and strongly resists the fatigue, stress, and workhardening to which such brushes are subjected in use.

After the wire passes the coating roller 76, it moves between a pair of strengthening rollers 80, which are similar to and mounted like the rollers 20 previously descibed. As shown in FIGURE 2, the lower roller 80 has a sprocket wheel driven from a chain 82, which is driven by another sprocket wheel on the shaft of the main pulley 34. Chain 82 passes over tensioning and idler rollers 84.

From the straightening rollers 80, the wire passes to the 4 cutting apparatus 18 of FIGURES 7 and 8. This apparatus preferably comprises a conventional punch 86 which may have the usual clutch operated by compressed air. Such a punch has a vertically reciprocating upper die member 83 and a cooperating stationary lower die member 90. Before reaching the punch 86, the wire passes through a wire grip 92, which is arranged to grip the wire intermittently and halt its advance to the punch 86. Such wire grips are well known and may comprise a solenoid operated vertically reciprocating plunger which clamps the wire against a stationary anvil. As indicated at the right side of FIGURE 7 and the left side of FIGURE 2, the wire sags between the straightening rollers and the wire grip 92 when the wire grip is energized, because the wire is continuously fed through the apparatus of FIGURE 2.

Between the wire grip and the punch 86 is a wire feed mechanism 94 comprising a pair of rollers 96, 98, the upper roller, 96, being driven from a small electric motor by a belt drive 102, and the lower roller, 98, being spring biased against the upper roller. The feed mecha nism 94 operates continuously and tends to advance the wire at a somewhat greater speed than it is fed from the straightening rollers, so as to take up any slack. The drive roller 96 slips with respect to the wire when the grip 92 is engaged.

From the punch 86 the wire passes through a guide chute 104, and the leading edge of the wire ultimately enf gages an abutment 106 associated with a microswitch 108. Guide chute 104 is an open-bottom channel, the wire engaging the top of the channel, by virtue of the stiffness of the wire, and being deected downwardly to the abutment. The abutment 106 may be spring biased toward the leading edge of the wire and when depressed by the wire actuates the switch 108, which closes an energization circuit for the clutch of the punch 86, so as to cause the upper die member S8 to move down and cut the wire. The length of the wire is predetermined by the distance be tween the punch and the abutment 106. As will be described hereinafter, actuation of switch 108 also closes an energization circuit for the solenoid of the wire grip 92, causing the wire grip to grasp the wire and halt its advance to the punch 86.

After the wire is cut, it tends to fall from the open bottom of the `guide chute 104. Removal of the cut wire may be assisted by a knock-off arm 110, which has two parts 11011 and 110b pivotally interconnected at 110e. Part 110g is pivotally connected to the upper die member 88. Part 110b is pivotally connected to a stationary frame 111 at one end and has its other end free and shaped to overlie the end portion of the wire at the abutment 106. The configuration of the knock-off arm is such that when the upper die 88 of the punch moves down to sever a piece of wire, the free end of the knock-cfrr arm engages the severed wire immediately after cutting and deliects the cut wire downwardly, so that the wire falls into a chute 112, an open trough, and slides down the latter chute to a collection box 114. The timing is such that when the free end of the advancing wire en gages the abutment 106, the grip 92 is actuated first to halt the advancement of the wire, the feed mechanism 94 free wheels, the punch 86 cuts the wire, and the knock-off arm 110 moves the cut wire off of the chute 104. This opens the microswitch, releases the wire grip, and permits the feed mechanism to take up the slack in the wire and advance the wire to the abutment 106 again.`

5 cordingly, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered illustrative, rather than restrictive of the invention, and those modifications which come Within the meaning and ran-ge of equivalency of the claim are to be included therein.

The invention claimed is:

Apparatus for converting continuous wire stock `or' substantially round cross section into a plurality of lengths of wire of generally rectangular cross section having a relatively soft core and a relatively hard shell, said lengths of wire being suitable for use as the bristles of street cleaning brushes, said apparatus comprising in sequence, roller means for flattening and elongating said Wire, said roller means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced roller means, said roller means each comprising a pair of rollers, the rollers of successive roller means being set progressively closer together, whereby said Wire is progressively flattened as it passes through said pairs of rollers in sequence, drive means for driving one roller of each pair with successive driven rollers being driven faster than preceding rollers to maintain a desired tension in the wire as the wire elongates due to attening, said drive means comprising a Wheel fixed to each of said driven rollers and an endless elongated member arranged to drive each Wheel from a wheel fixed to an adjacent preceding driven roller, heater means for heating said wire, liquid contact means for surface quenching said heated wire by bringing it in contact with a tilm of oil, means for continuously ad- Cil vancing said wire past said roller means, heater means and liquid contact means, and means for cutting the quenched wire into predetermined lengths, and traverse means for causing said wire to move back and forth along the length of the first pair of said rollers to equalize roller wear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 337,978 3/1886 Mower et al. 14S-152 1,676,685 7/ 1928 Cammen. 1,754,190 4/1930 Harris 266-3 1,962,029 6/1934 Murphy et al. 266-3 XR 2,035,312 3/1936 Greer et al 266-3 2,247,766 7/ 1941 Boerger. 2,292,511 8/ 1942 Ferm 266-3 2,393,363 1/1946 Gold et al 148-39 XR 2,407,335 9/ 1946 Wickwire. 2,452,856 11/1948 Kerr 83-212 XR 2,503,994 4/1950 Bottos 83-210 XR 2,658,741 11/1953 Schmidt 266-3 XR 2,693,235 11/1954 Kenworthy et al. 83-210 XR 2,806,130 9/1957 Gray 266-3 XR 2,93 0,7'24 3/ 1960 Rudd 266-4 XR 2,980,561 4/1961 Ford et al 266-3 XR WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner. RAY K. WINDHAM, MORRIS WOLK, Examiners. 

